Been a long time now since I had the motivation to work on the truck, so I thought I'd post up a little progress.

I bought Crash's tires and wheels from him (great deal), but the wheels weren't doing it for me. So, I swapped back to my factory alloys, which required a little more effort, but fit the truck better, IMO.

They are a 285 75, which is really all the tire I want to run on this truck, for now at least. Any bigger requires more work than I want to do, or can afford at the moment.

I like the ride of these over my MTR's and the AT suits my needs better. This is a DD, and goes wheeling on the weekends.

AT's never really held me back on my old truck, so I doubt I'll have any issue with these.

In addition, I did some side work and got a new ARB bull bar in payment, which I picked up from slee a week and a half ago. Easy install, and less fab work for me.

Then, two weekends ago, I regeared the truck to 4.3 from the 4.1 that was in there. I found a good elocked third for the rear, so I have a 4.1 elocked rear third for sale. This is about perfect. It can cruise from Denver to Bailey up 285 in 5th the whole way, and I can drop to 4th when I need to accelerate quickly.

So, last weekend, I started on the rear bumper. I removed the factory hitch, and cut the receiver out with the plasma, to save time. I fabbed a new hitch portion, which will serve as the skeleton for the rear bumper.

I had some other pics but they didn't come out. I cut the frame off just behind the rear body mounts, and re did it in 1/4" plate, extending back along the inner part of the frame. Here is a shot of the back end, but nothing was done in this pic

Its a tire carrier. It will have some provisions for a propane cylinder, my CO2 tank, and gas cans, but all will be bolt on, and built later.

I didn't get pics, as the camera died, but the top and front plates are on, and the spindle is in. Its a nice unit: Poly Performance spindle with dual roller bearings. The new 211 did a nice job burning it in even though it is a solid 1 3/4 thick machined piece. I'll get some more pictures soon.

I still need to plate the forward section, and build the mounts for the front of the side wings to attach, and then fab up the wings.

Uncle Ben

05-30-2013 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AxleIke
(Post 233611)

Its a tire carrier. It will have some provisions for a propane cylinder, my CO2 tank, and gas cans, but all will be bolt on, and built later.

I didn't get pics, as the camera died, but the top and front plates are on, and the spindle is in. Its a nice unit: Poly Performance spindle with dual roller bearings. The new 211 did a nice job burning it in even though it is a solid 1 3/4 thick machined piece. I'll get some more pictures soon.

I still need to plate the forward section, and build the mounts for the front of the side wings to attach, and then fab up the wings.

Oh you made that? I thought it was a Smittybuilt. :p:

AxleIke

05-30-2013 09:58 AM

Hey now, smittybuilt is high quality stuff. Probably better made than this will be! :D

I would have just had you come build it, but I knew you wouldn't be seen near a mini :p:

Of course, had I known what I know now, I would have kept the cash and I'd be going to rubicon, rather than having a bumper and some steel. Thought I could pull them both off, so I have to take some consolation that I might actually get THIS truck out to wheel this summer.